King Charles has visited Golders Green in north-west London to show support for the Jewish community following a series of antisemitic attacks, including a stabbing incident last month in which two British Jews were injured.
During the visit on Thursday, the King met victims of the 29 April attack at the Jewish Care charity centre, as well as the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.
The visit came as it was disclosed that counter-terrorism officers have launched 11 investigations and arrested 35 people after what Sir Mark described as "a sustained period of attack" upon the Jewish community. In a letter to the Commons home affairs select committee, he wrote that "British Jews are not currently safe in their capital city", adding that this was unacceptable.
Among the incidents investigated are the attack in Golders Green, an arson attack on a Hatzola ambulance on 23 March, nine other arson or attempted arson attacks, and a further investigation into discarded items found in Kensington Gardens. Ten individuals have been charged and one convicted to date.
One of the stabbing victims, Moshe Ben Baila, 76, also known as Norman Shine, said the King showed "genuine warmth and concern" and that the visit felt "extremely important" for the whole Jewish community. The King later greeted crowds and was presented with a loaf of challah bread outside a bakery in the area.
The alleged attacker, Essa Suleiman, 45, has been remanded in custody accused of three counts of attempted murder. He was born in Somalia and came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s, and was reported to the Prevent anti-extremism programme in 2020, although the case was closed that year.
